Japan clinic launches 'snail facial'

(London Telegraph) Live snails, hailed as an elixir for youthful and beautiful skin, take centre stage in an unusual new “snail facial” launching tomorrow at a spa in central Tokyo.

The treatment involves a therapist placing snails directly onto the faces of reclining clients and allowing the molluscs to move at random, leaving trails of mucus slime in their wake.

The secreted snail mucus is key to the facial, as it reportedly contains a beauty-boosting cocktail of proteins, antioxidants and hyaluronic acid, which help skin retain moisture, reduce inflammation and remove dead skin.